Kiwanis International Awards Heifer International

Contact: Jo Lynn Garing, 317-508-6337

Kiwanis International awards Heifer International 2012 World Service Medal

NEW ORLEANS, La. (June 30, 2012) – Kiwanis International today honored hunger-fighting agency Heifer International with the service organization’s highest award—the 2012 World Service Medal. Heifer International, based in Little Rock, Ark., was recognized for its work to end hunger and poverty and protect the planet.

“There is a proverb that reads, ‘Give a man a fish and he won't starve for a day. Teach a man how to fish, and he won't starve for his entire life,’ ” said Kiwanis International President Alan Penn in announcing the award.

Since 1944, Heifer International has provided livestock and Earth-friendly agricultural training to families who struggle daily to survive. To date, more than 15 million families in more than 125 countries, including the United States, have been assisted to become self-reliant.

“I had the privilege of seeing the work of Heifer International first-hand as the son of missionaries who managed El Sembrador, a school for orphan children located on a farm in Honduras. Heifer International provided calves for the farm to improve the herd of livestock,” said Penn. “Their amazing work affected me deeply and has stayed with me all these years.”

“Heifer International is honored to receive this award,” said Heifer President and CEO Pierre Ferrari. “Here we have two great organizations with great legacies—Kiwanis nearly 100 years and Heifer nearly 70 years—of helping people help themselves.”

Many Kiwanis organizations around the world have contributed to or partnered with Heifer International, “so each and every Kiwanis family member has been part of the amazing transformation that has led 80 million people from poverty to prosperity,” said Ferrari.

“We all have cause to be very proud.”

As an organization dedicated to service, Kiwanis International promotes service not only among its members, but also among young people and the public at large. The Kiwanis International Board of Trustees established the Kiwanis World Service Medal in 1985 to recognize individuals who devote a significant part of their lives to meeting the needs of others.

The World Service Medal is presented annually at the Kiwanis International convention, being held this year in New Orleans. Initially, service activities of all kinds were honored, but in 1997, in recognition of the Kiwanis emphasis on “Serving the Children of the World,” the organization revised the criteria to focus on service to children.

One medal is awarded each year and the Kiwanis International Foundation provides a $10,000 grant to help the honoree in furthering his or her service work. Previous winners have included Mother Teresa, actors and humanitarians Sir Roger Moore and Audrey Hepburn and First Ladies Nancy Reagan and Rosalynn Carter.

“We are honored to be in such august company as previous winners, but we must never forget that every day, thousands of children die needlessly around the world, from treatable diseases, from correctable situations,” said Ferrari. “Kiwanis and Heifer International are both proven solutions to these problems, and we deeply appreciate this honor, but there is work yet to do and we are delighted to be pursuing those solutions with you.”

About Heifer International Heifer’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. Since 1944, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. Heifer is currently working in 40 countries, including the United States, to help families and communities become more self-reliant.

About Kiwanis Founded in 1915, Kiwanis International is a global organization of clubs and members dedicated to serving the children of the world. Kiwanis and its family of clubs, including Circle K International for university students, Key Club for students age 14–18, Builders Club for students age 11–14, Kiwanis Kids for students age 6–12 and Aktion Club for adults living with disabilities, dedicate annually more than 18 million service hours to strengthen communities and serve children. The Kiwanis International family comprises nearly 600,000 adult and youth members in 80 countries and geographic areas. For more information about Kiwanis International, please visit www.kiwanis.org.